This article was first featured in Financial Advisor Magazine on Sep 1st, 2022.
According to Financial Advisor magazine, poor communication is the No. 1 reason clients leave their financial advisors. And during times of volatility, timely and effective communication is doubly important.
But that does not mean advisors should rush out to write something. Going too quickly can often result in poor quality, which can be almost as bad as never communicating.
Luckily, by following a few copywriting golden rules, you can write an effective message while still saving yourself time. Read on to learn more about these five rules and how you can use them to improve your client communications.
1. Use The Right Formatting
Always think of your reader when formatting your writing. What do they want? Like most of us, they’re looking to receive the information they’re looking for as quickly as possible.
The best way to do this is to ensure your message is concise. Consider headers and sentence breaks, and never write in large, blocked paragraphs—in short, make your writing skimmable.
Readers can then determine what information they deem is worth their attention and move between sections with ease. Effective formatting can also be used to help highlight certain elements of your message. For example, a link in an email will stand out better if it isn’t surrounded by other text.
The exact format of your message will depend on its content, but whether it’s a blog or email, the writing style will remain much the same.
2. Write As You Speak
Formal writing is often the standard in business, but in many cases, a lighter approach can be more effective and relatable. Readers want to feel like they’re reading something from a person, especially if that person is handling their finances.
For this reason, try using conversational language in your communications when possible. Of course, how lighthearted you get will depend on your brand. So, only write conversationally when appropriate.
Such an approach can benefit all forms of communication, from emails and blogs to social posts. For example, a social post that’s more relatable often garners more engagement. After all, people prefer to connect with people rather than brands.
3. Write For Your Customers, Not Yourself
The main goal of copywriting is to prompt the readers to action, whether that’s getting them to sign up for a newsletter, get a quote or make a purchase. That’s why it’s important to write for your customers, not for your company.
But beyond formatting, how can you do that? A great place to start is to look at your company’s testimonials and messages. What sort of language does your audience use? What kind of problems do they want to be solved, and how can you present yourself as a solution?
